Facile construction of ZnWO4/ZnO porous nanoplates on reduced graphene oxide for superior lithium storage

Zinc tungstate (ZnWO 4 ) shows great promise as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to its reversible multi-electron redox reactions and high theoretical capacity. Nevertheless, the low conductivity and big strain during cycling can lead to the inferior electrochemical properties of the ZnWO 4 anode, hindering its practical application. Herein, we report a novel composite with ZnWO 4 /ZnO porous nanoplates in-situ constructed on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by a metal–organic framework template strategy. The nanoplates with good porosity are composed of nanoparticles and nanorods, providing a short Li + -diffusion distance and plentiful Li + storage active sites. The introduction of rGO can accelerate charge transfer and reinforce structural stability. As a result of these advantages, the ZnWO 4 /ZnO/rGO composite as LIBs anode delivers a high reversible capacity of 811 mAh g after 100 cycles at 200 mA g −1 , excellent rate capability (437 mAh g at 5000 mA g −1 ), and good long cycling stability (485 mAh g after 500 cycles at 2000 mA g −1 ). Notably, the rate capability of the composite far precedes the previously reported ZnWO 4 -based anodes. This work provides an efficient approach for designing and fabricating advanced metal tungstate-based anodes for high-performance LIBs .